The present invention relates to an apparatus and method to release energy and perform work with said energy release in a well system; more specifically, to release chemical energy in a well system utilizing at least one fluid transmitted down a continuous conduit disposed in a well or riser reacting said fluid across a subterranean catalyst to release energy in the well system.
More particularly a method to continuously supply a fluid to a down hole catalyst and apparatus for using the energy release of the catalytic reaction and any subsequent reaction of said fluid after the catalytic reaction to heat the subterranean environments claimed herein. This invention can also use said energy release to do useful work, such as but not limited to jetting perforations, drilling, cutting, welding, powering pumps, compressors, turbines, generators, or more simply heat well system fluids, pipes, subterranean reservoir fluids, subterranean solids, and completion devices in the well system. For example, the released energy can be used to cut a window in a casing for further down hole processing through such window or weld a junction in a multi-lateral well or otherwise create a weldment.
It is well known that the application of down hole energy in gas and oil well systems can be used to slot, or perforate, or cut off well tubulars. This is commonly done with high pressure water jets with abrasives or shaped explosive charges in the art of well perforating.
The use of abrasive fluid jets require large amounts of hydraulic horsepower to be generated on the surface and transmitted to the well depth required. Frictional losses in the transmission conduits, the accumulation in the well system of the abrasives, and the accumulation of the jetting fluid in the well system can provide limitations with existing technology.
The shaped explosive charges on the other hand release energy rapidly by means of a chemical reaction. These charges are ignited with various electrical and mechanical triggers. These explosive charges are very dangerous to transport, store, and handle on the surface and many people have been killed when the charges are set off on surface by accidental electrical excitation, like a radio being keyed up in the vicinity of the well where the explosives are being prepared on surface. Moreover, the explosive charges fire instantaneously such that they can only penetrate at a focused point in the well and hence many charges have to be used to penetrate various depths in the well system. Some explosive charges are not well suited for cutting slots, which yield more inflow area as is often required in wells that will require a gravel pack. This often means that many runs, for example runs of wire line deployed perforating guns, of explosive charges must be run in a well. Furthermore, the use of explosive charges, boosters, and the primer cord represents an extreme hazard to store and transport around the world. These charges, primer cord, and boosters can easily be used by groups that have evil intentions and hence the world wide use of explosive perforating in the oil and gas industry and the inherent storage, transport, and disposal of this explosive device represents a very difficult security challenge. These charges are very small and can be transported and concealed in shoes, toothpaste tubes, and many other stealthful methods. These explosive charges are used in hundreds of countries around the world, where oil and gas is produced and the continual monitoring of the storage sites and bunkers, the monitoring of their transport and movement becomes impossible.
The present invention allows for an improved method to transmit and release chemical energy down hole. The present real problem of security represented by the art of explosive well perforating is wholly avoided. Furthermore, the present invention can allow one trip down the bore to perform any service work involving perforating, avoiding the need for multiple trips down hole to perforate at different zones as bore hole conditions are experienced. Finally, the present invention solves the problem of high fluid friction losses present in current hydraulic jet cutting methods.